A+E Interactive » “The Mentalisthttp://blogs.mercurynews.com/aei
Bay Area Arts and Entertainment BlogMon, 30 Mar 2015 12:40:46 +0000en-UShourly1http://wordpress.org/?v=3.5.1TV review: “Past Life” plays some head gameshttp://blogs.mercurynews.com/aei/2010/02/09/tv-review-past-life-plays-head-games/
http://blogs.mercurynews.com/aei/2010/02/09/tv-review-past-life-plays-head-games/#commentsWed, 10 Feb 2010 00:04:41 +0000Chuck Barneyhttp://blogs.mercurynews.com/aei/?p=17740Continue Reading →]]>In the opener, they and Kate's venerable mentor (Richard Schiff of "The West Wing") aid a teen boy troubled by ominous visions. Kate believes he's suffering from "regression trauma" and concludes that, in a former life, he was a girl who was murdered. Now the search is on for her/his killer.
With her Texas twang and feisty demeanor, Giddish is instantly engaging, and she and Bishop share a nice on-screen chemistry that makes them worth our time. As for the "Past Life" cases, they are adequately compelling.
Then again, prime time is awash in crime procedurals. Whether this show can stand out from the horde might hinge on the sustainability of its premise, which some will likely find too silly or weird. If it fails to achieve total buy-in, "Past Life" soon will be past tense.]]>http://blogs.mercurynews.com/aei/2010/02/09/tv-review-past-life-plays-head-games/feed/46Review: Fox’s “Lie to Me” mostly a formulaic proceduralhttp://blogs.mercurynews.com/aei/2009/01/21/review-foxs-lie-to-me-mostly-a-formulaic-procedural/
http://blogs.mercurynews.com/aei/2009/01/21/review-foxs-lie-to-me-mostly-a-formulaic-procedural/#commentsWed, 21 Jan 2009 21:51:21 +0000Chuck Barneyhttp://blogs.mercurynews.com/aei/?p=11078Continue Reading →]]>http://blogs.mercurynews.com/aei/2009/01/21/review-foxs-lie-to-me-mostly-a-formulaic-procedural/feed/26Nielsen Spotlights Top Showshttp://blogs.mercurynews.com/aei/2008/12/15/nielsen-spotlights-top-shows/
http://blogs.mercurynews.com/aei/2008/12/15/nielsen-spotlights-top-shows/#commentsMon, 15 Dec 2008 23:04:21 +0000Chuck Barneyhttp://www.ibabuzz.com/tvfreak/?p=2152Continue Reading →]]>Top-Rated Shows of the Year
1. "American Idol" Tuesday
2. "American Idol" Wednesday
3. "Dancing with the Stars"
4. "Dancing with the Stars" results
5. "The Mentalist"
6. "NBC Sunday Night Football"
7. "CSI"
8. "NCIS"
9. "60 Minutes"
10. "Survivor: Gabon"
Top Time-Shifted Shows
(Shows recorded for later play with percentage of increased viewership)
1. "Heroes" (35 percent)
2. "Fringe" (26 percent)
3. "Lost" (25 percent)
4. "Bones" (21 percent)
5. "Grey's Anatomy" (20 percent)
6. "House" (18 percent)
7. "Survivor: Gabon" (18 percent)
8. "American Idol" Tuesdays (13 percent)
9. "The Mentalist" (13 percent)
10. "American Idol" Wednesdays (12 percent)
Here's another stat that caught our eye: The San Francisco Bay Area topped the nation when it came to downloading the most Internet content (TV shows, video, movies, music, podcasts). That shouldn't be too surprising considering we're the high-tech captial of the nation. The Bay Area finished in front of San Doego, Austin, Texas, Washington D.C., Salt Lake City, Syracuse, Phoenix, Columbus, Ohio, Seattle/Tacoma and the Norfolk/Portsmouth/Newport market.]]>http://blogs.mercurynews.com/aei/2008/12/15/nielsen-spotlights-top-shows/feed/0Counting Our (Few) TV Blessingshttp://blogs.mercurynews.com/aei/2008/12/12/counting-our-few-tv-blessings/
http://blogs.mercurynews.com/aei/2008/12/12/counting-our-few-tv-blessings/#commentsFri, 12 Dec 2008 23:13:04 +0000Chuck Barneyhttp://www.ibabuzz.com/tvfreak/?p=2133Continue Reading →]]>Bah, humbug.
But why continue to dwell on failure and mediocrity? After all, the holiday season is upon us â€” a time for comfort and joy. And so we've decided to put the depress-o-rama temporarily on hold and devote this post to nothing but positive vibes.
Here, then, are some reasons to smile and to hope â€” some reasons why we continue to love TV:
-- The good guys still prevail. And in difficult times, that's apparently what we want to see. Thus, while other networks struggle, CBS is thriving with its "comfort-food" menu of basic procedural cop shows both old (the "CSI" franchise) and new ("The Mentalist").
-- HBO has put the complete seasons of "The Sopranos," "Deadwood" and "The Wire" out on DVD in snazzy sets with plenty of extras. These shows represent some of the best television ever â€” and, yes, they would look great under the tree.
-- The value of sitcoms may be plunging faster than the stock market, but "The Big Bang Theory" is proof that the genre still has plenty of pop in it.
-- Aussie actor John Noble continues to make Walter Bishop, his loopy-yet-creepy mad scientist on "Fringe," one of the most entertaining new characters of the season.
-- "Lost" returns to ABC next month. Three words: We can't wait.
-- College football bowl season is just around the corner. Three words: Bring it on.
-- East Bay native Rachel Maddow has developed into a fresh, brilliant and witty force on the cable-news scene. As one writer put it: She's a TV pundit for folks who think they don't like TV pundits.
-- The Emmy voters this year showered their love on "Mad Men" and "30 Rock," proving that the television academy actually can recognize quality programming.
-- "American Idol" will introduce new judge Kara DioGuardi in its eighth season, which â€” cross your fingers â€” should mean less screen time for Randy Jackson and Paula Abdul.
-- Heat Miser and Snow Miser, those scene-stealing goofballs from "The Year Without a Santa Claus," get their own cool animated special Saturday (8 p.m., ABC Family).
-- "NCIS," Mark Harmon's military drama, has defied typical television trajectory by actually expanding its audience in its sixth season. No wonder CBS is reportedly mulling a spinoff.
-- Apparently, it pays to jump forward in time. "One Tree Hill" not only avoided a fan revolt when it had its characters skip past college, it actually experienced a ratings growth at a time when Nielsen numbers for most shows are waning. Now it has a bigger audience on The CW than its buzz-laden lead-in, "Gossip Girl."
-- "Bones," with its witty banter and sexually charged pairing (David Boreanaz and Emily Deschanel), is proof positive that procedurals can be lighthearted and character-based. And in Season 4, it's finally enjoying the buzz it long has deserved.
-- Just as most network shows get set to go into winter reruns, cable gives us the slick new caper series "Leverage," with Timothy Hutton starring as a high-tech Robin Hood who sticks it to corporate scumbags. Truly a show for our times.
-- Jack Bauer of "24" soon will be back on the clock, kicking bad guys in the head and blowing things up.
-- NBC's disastrous year might be on par with the Big 3 automakers, but the Peacock can take pride in "Chuck." The hilarious spy spoof, with its likable nerd (Zachary Levi), is simply a joy to watch.
-- Forget all the talk about "90210" star Shenae Grimes being an anorexic diva. We've got a non-stalkerish crush on her. As charming, yet steely, Annie Wilson, she ranks among the top newcomers of the season.
-- After more than 40 years, "A Charlie Brown Christmas" (8 p.m. Dec. 16, ABC) continues to warm our hearts.]]>http://blogs.mercurynews.com/aei/2008/12/12/counting-our-few-tv-blessings/feed/0“The Mentalist”: Crime Pays For CBShttp://blogs.mercurynews.com/aei/2008/11/11/the-mentalist-crime-pays-for-cbs/
http://blogs.mercurynews.com/aei/2008/11/11/the-mentalist-crime-pays-for-cbs/#commentsTue, 11 Nov 2008 15:06:38 +0000Chuck Barneyhttp://www.ibabuzz.com/tvfreak/?p=1902
It doesn’t take a psychic to figure out why “The Mentalist” has become the latest prime-time hit for CBS. With its formulaic approach and tidy resolutions, it lands squarely â€” and safely â€” onto the network’s crime-procedural sweet spot. But… Continue Reading →]]>
It doesn't take a psychic to figure out why "The Mentalist" has become the latest prime-time hit for CBS.
With its formulaic approach and tidy resolutions, it lands squarely â€” and safely â€” onto the network's crime-procedural sweet spot. But a quirky performance by ultra-engaging Simon Baker gives it some added oomph and makes it easier to forgive the freshman drama for its lack of creative ambition.
"The Mentalist" stars Baker as Patrick Jane, a guy who once pulled the wool over viewers' eyes as a bogus TV psychic. But after his family was murdered by a serial killer he pretended to profile, he got religion. Now, he uses his razor-sharp powers of perception for good as a crime-solving consultant for the fictional California Bureau of Investigation.
It's a rather goofy premise â€” one that makes "The Mentalist" feel like USA's "Psych," with a little more edge. Still, Baker finds a way to sell it.
It's a blast to watch him gaze upon a crime scene and, like a fluffy-haired Sherlock Holmes, see and sense things that somehow elude his skeptical co-workers, including no-nonsense senior agent Teresa Lisbon (Robin Tunney of "Prison Break").
There's an I'm-so-cool cockiness to Jane, who regularly utters smart-alecky dialogue and takes obvious pride in being the smartest guy in the room. But he also brandishes a killer smile and has the kind of unassuming, aw-shucks charm that can throw suspects off guard, a la Columbo.
Naturally, Jane shares the kind of prickly relationship with Tunney's character that we've seen countless times before on television. He's the reckless cad who brushes aside protocol and she's the by-the-book superior who struggles to keep him in line. Can a romance be far behind? Probably by Season 2.
CBS viewers saw glimpses of Baker's star power in his roles on "The Guardian" and the mercifully short-lived "Smith." But this show allows him to deploy more devices on his acting tool belt. The result is his first real breakout success. "The Mentalist" is one of the very few bright spots among this season's crop of new shows, attracting more than 16 million viewers each week and trouncing Fox's highly hyped "Fringe" in the ratings. CBS recently rewarded the show with a full-season order.
Even a bogus psychic could foresee a very fruitful future for this show.]]>http://blogs.mercurynews.com/aei/2008/11/11/the-mentalist-crime-pays-for-cbs/feed/0THE MENTALIST“The Mentalist” Gets Full-Season Orderhttp://blogs.mercurynews.com/aei/2008/10/16/the-mentalist-gets-full-season-order/
http://blogs.mercurynews.com/aei/2008/10/16/the-mentalist-gets-full-season-order/#commentsThu, 16 Oct 2008 17:23:27 +0000Chuck Barneyhttp://www.ibabuzz.com/tvfreak/?p=1692Continue Reading →]]>http://blogs.mercurynews.com/aei/2008/10/16/the-mentalist-gets-full-season-order/feed/0“Fringe” Gets A Full Season From Foxhttp://blogs.mercurynews.com/aei/2008/10/02/fringe-gets-a-full-season-from-fox/
http://blogs.mercurynews.com/aei/2008/10/02/fringe-gets-a-full-season-from-fox/#commentsThu, 02 Oct 2008 22:31:14 +0000Chuck Barneyhttp://www.ibabuzz.com/tvfreak/?p=1557Continue Reading →]]>http://blogs.mercurynews.com/aei/2008/10/02/fringe-gets-a-full-season-from-fox/feed/0